Sporting Life
Luke Littler wins the Grand Slam of Darts (Picture: PDC)
Luke Littler

Darts results: Luke Littler wins Grand Slam of Darts on sensational debut and joins elite group of players to claim 10 PDC titles in one season

By Chris Hammer
Darts
Mon November 18, 2024 · 1M ago

Luke Littler's unfathomable debut season in the PDC reached yet another new height as he won his maiden ranking major title at the Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton.

After overcoming the legendary Gary Anderson 16-15 in a pulsating semi-final that will live long in the memory at the WV Active Aldersley, the 17-year-old sensation later returned to the oche to destroy tournament outsider Martin Lukeman 16-3 and get his hands on the Eric Bristow Trophy at the first attempt.

Littler dropped the opening two legs of the match but stormed back in emphatic and unplayable fashion, finishing the match with an average of 107.08 and 12 maximums while he also pinned 45% of his doubles.

It capped a remarkable Grand Slam debut in which he averaged over 102 in all seven matches across the week - and in excess of 105 for the tournament - as well as hitting 60 180s and 10 100+ checkouts to hit the headlines once again.

Littler, who completed the victory in less than 35 minutes of playing time, said: “I’m so glad to win this title. "I’ve been playing really well all tournament; it’s been a tough week, but the hard work has paid off!

“I’ve always got to have my scoring power with me, no matter who I play. I had a slow start against Martin, but I kicked on from there.

“I knew coming into the tournament, if I did get my hands on the trophy I’d be up to number five in the world. There’s still more ranking tournaments to go this year, so hopefully I can go a bit higher than number five!

“I cannot wait to play in both events. Hopefully I can have a deep run in Minehead, and then it’s all eyes on the big one - the World Championship!"

While his final average was third highest in Grand Slam final history, just behind Phil Taylor's 109.04 in 2011 and Gerwyn Price's 107.86 in 2019, his tally of maximums smashed the previous record of 52 set by Adrian Lewis in 2013.

Since taking the world by storm with his run to the World Championship final back in January, the 17-year-old has continued to prove why he's unanimously dubbed a 'generational talent' by picking up 10 titles in 11 months as a PDC pro including the lucrative Premier League with victory over the player who defeated him at the Ally Pally Luke Humphries.

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This achievement is made even more impressive when you consider he suffered early exits at the World Matchplay, World Grand Prix and European Championship. Although this was this Littler's first ranked major title, it was also his fifth televised crowd having also landed the Premier League, the World Series of Darts Finals in Amsterdam and two other World Series titles in Bahrain and Poland.

His latest winners' cheque of £150,000 takes his overall earnings this year to over the £1,000,000 barrier while his ranked cash of £558,500 lifts him up to fifth in the world in less than a full season.

To put that statistic into jaw-dropping perspective, Littler is one of just five different players to have reached double figures for trophies in a single season, following in the footsteps of Michael van Gerwen, Phil Taylor and Peter Wright.

The Warrington ace won't end up anywhere near MVG's record of 25, which was set in his ultimate heyday of 2016, but to have already reached a milestone that many darting legends have never reached in a calendar year at such a young age sends out an ominous warning to the rest of the tour about how hard titles will be to come by in future seasons.

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Lukeman halted Littler’s astonishing sequence of 15 straight legs to get a third leg on the board, which received the biggest cheer of the night.

“Luke is just different gravy,” he said. “He is absolutely brilliant. He has done great things for the sport and has brought in so many new fans.

“I wish Luke and his family all the best. He’s a great kid, and I couldn’t live with him tonight.”

Lukeman 3-16 Littler: Match Statistics

  • Averages
    Lukeman: 93.42
    Littler: 107.008
  • 180s
    Lukeman: 1
    Littler: 12
  • Checkout %
    Lukeman: 50%
    Littler: 45.7%
  • 100+ checkouts (High)
    Lukeman: 0
    Littler: 2 (124)

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Luke Littler's Tournament Statistics

  • Average: 105
  • 100+ Averages: 7 out of 7
  • 180s: 60
  • Checkout %: 46.31%
  • 100+ checkouts (High): 10 (167)

Grand Slam of Darts semi-final round-up

Littler had earlier recovered from 13-9 adrift against Anderson to triumph with a 103 average and 16 maximums.

The Flying Scotsman produced an inspired seven-leg blitz to seize control, conjuring up 164, 142 and 102 checkouts during this spell to race into an 11-7 lead.

Littler levelled at 14-14, only to relinquish his throw immediately as Anderson pinned tops to move to the brink of a historic triumph.

However, the Warrington ace forced a decider before crashing home a 14-dart hold to deny the two-time world champion.

Lukeman became the first Tour Card Holder Qualifier to feature in the Grand Slam final following an impressive 16-12 success against fellow debutant Mickey Mansell.

Mansell made a confident start to lead 3-0, although Lukeman responded by winning six of the next seven legs - aided by 122 and 88 finishes on the bull.

The Northern Irishman enjoyed a mid-match revival to level at seven apiece, but Lukeman proved too strong, averaging 99 and landing a dozen 180s to book his place in a maiden televised final.

Littler 16-15 Anderson: Match Statistics

  • Averages
    Littler: 103.81
    Anderson: 100.17
  • 180s
    Littler: 16
    Anderson: 5
  • Checkout %
    Littler: 41%
    Anderson: 51.7%
  • 100+ checkouts (High)
    Littler: 1 (124)
    Anderson: 4 (164)

Mansell 12-16 Lukeman: Match Statistics

  • Averages
    Mansell: 92.28
    Lukeman: 99.66
  • 180s
    Mansell: 8
    Lukeman: 12
  • Checkout %
    Mansell: 31.6%
    Lukeman: 45.7%
  • 100+ checkouts (High)
    Mansell: 0
    Lukeman: 1 (122)

Grand Slam of Darts: Tournament results and tables

GROUP STAGE

Group A

James Wade and Mickey Mansell progress

Results

  • James Wade 3-5 Mickey Mansell
  • Luke Humphries 3-5 Rowby-John Rodriguez
  • Rowby-John Rodriguez 3-5 Mickey Mansell
  • James Wade 5-3 Luke Humphries
  • James Wade 5-1 Rowby-John Rodriguez
  • Luke Humphries 5-1 Mickey Mansell

Group B

Danny Noppert and Cameron Menzies progress

Results

  • Danny Noppert 5-2 Beau Greaves
  • Martin Schindler 2-5 Cameron Menzies
  • Danny Noppert 5-4 Cameron Menzies
  • Martin Schindler 5-1 Beau Greaves
  • Danny Noppert 5-2 Martin Schindler
  • Cameron Menzies 1-5 Beau Greaves

Group C

Martin Lukeman and Rob Cross progress

Results

  • Rob Cross 5-2 Leonard Gates
  • Peter Wright 0-5 Martin Lukeman
  • Peter Wright 4-5 Leonard Gates
  • Rob Cross 3-5 Martin Lukeman
  • Peter Wright 1-5 Rob Cross
  • Leonard Gates 3-5 Martin Lukeman

Group D

Ritchie Edhouse and Ross Smith progress

Results

  • Ross Smith 1-5 Ritchie Edhouse
  • Dave Chisnall 0-5 Connor Scutt
  • Dave Chisnall 2-5 Ross Smith
  • Ritchie Edhouse 5-2 Connor Scutt
  • Connor Scutt 0-5 Ross Smith
  • Dave Chisnall 2-5 Ritchie Edhouse

Group E

Jermaine Wattimena and Mike De Decker qualified

Results

  • Michael Smith 5-2 Mensur Suljovic
  • Mike De Decker 2-5 Jermaine Wattimena
  • Mike De Decker 5-2 Mensur Suljovic
  • Michael Smith 1-5 Jermaine Wattimena
  • Michael Smith 0-5 Mike De Decker
  • Mensur Suljovic 4-5 Jermaine Wattimena

Group F

Luke Littler and Dimitri Van den Bergh qualified

Results

  • Dimitri Van den Bergh 5-1 Lourence Ilagan
  • Luke Littler 5-0 Keane Barry
  • Keane Barry 5-3 Lourence Ilagan
  • Dimitri Van den Bergh 1-5 Luke Littler
  • Keane Barry 1-5 Dimitri Van den Bergh
  • Lourence Ilagan 3-5 Luke Littler

Group G

Gary Anderson and Ryan Joyce qualified

Results

  • Michael van Gerwen 5-0 Noa-Lynn van Leuven
  • Gary Anderson 5-1 Ryan Joyce
  • Ryan Joyce 5-3 Noa-Lynn van Leuven
  • Michael van Gerwen 4-5 Gary Anderson
  • Michael van Gerwen 4-5 Ryan Joyce
  • Gary Anderson 5-2 Noa-Lynn van Leuven

Group H

Gian van Veen and Stephen Bunting qualified

Results

  • Stephen Bunting 5-4 Wessel Nijman
  • Josh Rock 2-5 Gian van Veen
  • Josh Rock 5-3 Wessel Nijman
  • Stephen Bunting 1-5 Gian van Veen
  • Josh Rock 2-5 Stephen Bunting
  • Wessel Nijman 4-5 Gian van Veen

Grand Slam of Darts: Knockout Stage

LAST 16 (Nov 13-14)

  • James Wade 9-10 Cameron Menzies
  • Danny Noppert 7-10 Mickey Mansell
  • Martin Lukeman 10-5 Ross Smith
  • Ritchie Edhouse 5-10 Rob Cross
  • Jermaine Wattimena 10-9 Dimitri Van den Bergh
  • Luke Littler 10-9 Mike de Decker
  • Gary Anderson 10-6 Stephen Bunting
  • Gian van Veen 10-2 Ryan Joyce

QUARTER-FINALS (Nov 15-16)

  • Cameron Menzies 15-16 Mickey Mansell
  • Martin Lukeman 16-11 Rob Cross
  • Jermaine Wattimena 2-16 Luke Littler
  • Gary Anderson 16-14 Gian van Veen

SEMI-FINALS (Nov 17)

  • Mickey Mansell 12-16 Martin Lukeman
  • Luke Littler 16-15 Gary Anderson

FINAL (Nov 17)

  • Martin Lukeman v Luke Littler

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